AUAB rejects the proposal of the Management for deferring the salary for the month of February 2019. – AUAB also rejects the appeal of the Management to withdraw the strike.

A meeting between the AUAB and the BSNL Management was held today at 17.30 hrs. Shri Anupam Srivastava, CMD, BSNL, Ms.Sujatha.T |Ray, Director (HR & Finance) and Shri A.M.Gupta GM (SR) were present. From AUAB, Com.P.Abhimanyu, Convener, Com.Chandeswar Singh, Chairman, Com.K.Sebastin, GS, SNEA., Com. Prahlad Rai, GS, AIBSBNLEA, Com.Pathak, AGS, AIGETOA., Com.Suresh Kumar, GS, BSNL MS, Com.H.P.Singh, Dy. GS,BSNLOA and Com.S. Sivakumar, President, AIBSNLEA participated.. The CMD, BSNL explained the serious financial crisis being faced by the BSNL and appealed for the cooperation of the AUAB, for deferring payment of the salary for the month of February 2019. The AUAB representatives firmly rejected the request of the CMD, BSNL. They told in one voice that payment that the payment of salary of employees should not be deferred. Thereafter, the CMD, BSNL said that the 3 days strike called on by the AUAB from 18-02-2019 will be self-defeating and appealed to call off the strike.. The representatives of the AUAB rejected the appeal of the CMD, BSNL and reaffirmed that the strike will take place at any cost. They told the Management that the repeated assurances given by the Hon’ble Minister of State for Communications are not implemented by DoT and that the strike will now take place successfully.. The AUAB told the HB Management in categorical term that there is no question of going back from the decision to go on strike.

About thirteen (13) lakhs Central Govt. Employees commenced nationwide two days strike today (8th January 2019) as per the call given by Confederation of Central Government Employees & Workers. The main demand of the strike is “Scrap New Contributory Pension Scheme (NPS) & Restore Old Pension Scheme (OPS)”. In fact, the share market oriented NPS is nothing but “No Pension Scheme”. The strike is also to express the anger and protest of the Central Government employees and Pensioners against the betrayal of the NDA Government by not honouring the assurances given by Group of Ministers headed by Sri. Rajnath Singh, Home Minister, to leaders of the National Joint Council of Action (NJCA) on 30th June 2016 that the Minimum Pay and Fitment formula will be increased. Even after a lapse of two and a half years, the BJP Government has not implemented the assurance. The indefinite strike from 11th July 2016 was withdrawn believing the assurance.

Other demands include :

Grant of Option-I parity to Pensioners,

Grant of HRA arrears from 01-01-2016,

Grant of MACP promotion from 01-01-2006 and removal of bench mark,

Filling up of vacant posts,

Civil Servant status to Gramin Dak Sevaks,

Regularization of Casual/Contract Workers,

Grant of equal pay for equal work and parity in pay scales,

Revision of wages and pension of Autonomous body employees and Pensioners,

Stop outsourcing, downsizing, contractorization, corporatization, privatization and closure of Government departments and functions,

Removal of 5% condition on compassionate appointments,

Grant of five assured career progression and

Stop attack on trade union rights.

In Postal department about five lakhs employees participated in the strike all over the country under the banner of two major Postal Federations viz, NFPE & FNPO. 1,55,000 Post Offices and about 400 RMS offices remained closed. Gramin Dak Sevaks of rural post offices also went on strike. Delivery work also affected as Postmen joined the strike.

In Income Tax Department the strike is total in all the States. Work of all Income Tax Offices came to a stand still. Employees of Audit & Accounts department, Civil Accounts, Atomic Energy, Geological Survey of India, Customs and Central Excise, Survey of India, Botanical Survey of India, Central Ground Water Board, Postal Accounts, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Printing and Stationery, Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM), AGMARK, Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS), Medical Stores Depots, Film Division of India, Indian Council for Medical Research, Indian Council for Agricultural Research, Central Food Processing Laboratory, Census Department, National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO), Defence Accounts, Rehabilitation Department, Central Public Works Department (CPWD), Canteen Employees, Institute of Physics, LNCPE, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute of Medical Sciences, Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), Passport Department, Zoological survey of India, Patent Office, Central Drug Laboratory, NATMO, National Library, Marketing Inspection, Commercial Intelligence, Homeopathy and various other autonomous and Scientific Research Institutions participated in the nationwide strike.

Solidarity demonstrations were conducted by Central Government Pensioners Organizations in various states.

National Secretariat of the Confederation thanked and congratulated the Central Government employees for their massive participation and for making the two days nationwide strike a resounding success National Secretarial called upon the entire employees to continue the strike on 9th January also.

Nationwide Protest by Government Employees Against New Pension Scheme on 26th November, 2018

IMMEDIATE

No.A.42012/93/2018-Ad. II

Government of India / Bharat SarkarMinistry of Home Affairs / Grih Mantralaya

North Block, New Delhi,
Dated the 01 Nov, 2018

CIRCULAR

Subject – Proposed nationwide protest by Government employees against New Pension Scheme on 26th November, 2018.

The undersigned is directed to enclose herewith a copy of DoPT’s O.M. No.33011/2(s)/2018-Estt. (B.II) dt 26.10.2018 on the subject mentioned above. Attention is also drawn to the instructions issued by the D/o Personnel & Training vide OM No.33012/1(s)(2008-Estt(B)(pt) dt. 12.09.2008(copy enclosed).

2. The instructions issued by the Department of Personnel & Trainng prohibit Government servants from participating in any form of strike including mass casual leave, go-slow, sit down etc. or any action that abet any form of strike which is in violation of the provisions of the CCS (Conduct) Rules. 1964. There is no statutory provision empowering the employees to go on strike. The Supreme Court has also upheld in several judgments that going on strike is a grave misconduct under the Conduct Rules and that misconduct by me government employees is required to be dealt with in accordance with law. Any employee going on strike in any form would face the consequences which, besides deduction of wages may also include appropriate disciplinary action.
3. All the officers are requested that employees under their control be advised to scrupulously follow the provisions of the CCS (Conduct) Rules, 1964 and the findings of Apex Court on the subject. No Casual leave or other kind of leave to employees is to be sanctioned, if applied for, during the period of the proposed dharna/strike.

NFPE CALLS UPON POSTAL EMPLOYEES TO MAKE 2019 JANUARY 8th & 9th TWO DAYS STRIKE – A GRAND SUCCESS

THE FOLLOWING IS THE EDITORIAL PUBLISHED IN ‘POSTAL CRUSADER’ THE OFFICIAL ORGAN OF NATIONAL FEDERATION OF POSTAL EMPLOYEES (NFPE)

IMPORTANCE OF JANUARY 2019 TWO DAYS STRIKE

National Convention of Workers organized by Central Trade Unions (except BMS), independent Federations and Associations viz; Central Government and State Govt. Employees, Banks, Insurance, Defence production employees etc, held at Mavlankar Hall, New Delhi on 28th September 2018, has decided to conduct two days nationwide strike on 8th& 9th January 2019. Earlier, Confederation of Central Govt. Employees & Workers, in its National Convention held at Hyderabad on 10th June 2018, has decided to go for one day’s nationwide strike on 15th November 2018, demanding settlement of 10 points Charter of demands of Central Govt. Employees, Pensioners, Gramin DakSevaks and casual/contract workers. In the changed circumstances, Confederation has decided to postpone the 15th November 2018 one day strike and to join the two days strike on 8th and 9thJanuary 2019 announced by the National Convention of Workers. There is no change in the 10 points charter of demands of Confederation adopted in the Hyderabad National Convention.

The declaration adopted in the National Convention of Workers held on 28th September 2018 has stated as follows:

“Government is dragging its feet on wage negotiations of public sector in bipartite settlement and 7th Central Pay Commission anomalies of Central Government employees. Four sub committees were formed by the Government to address several issues raised by Central Government employees (NJCA) such as scrapping of New Pension Scheme (NPS) review of Minimum wage and fitment formula, restoration of allowances and allowing option-I as one of the pension benefit formula. But nothing has been done.
The Central Government Employees organisations including the Defence and Railways have been planning united action against the betrayal of the Government and asserting their genuine demands including scrapping of New Pension Scheme. This National Convention extends full support to their struggle and upholds all their demands.”

Thus, the entire Trade unions (other than BMS) has taken serious view of the negative attitude of the Central Government towards the demands of Central Government employees and Pensioners and extended full solidarity and support to our struggle.

Unrest among the New Pension Scheme (NPS) employees is rising day by day. Those NPS employees who retired from service, in 2015 to 2018, after completing ten years’ service are getting a paltry sum of Rs.1000 to 3000 only as monthly annuity pension. How can a pensioner and his family live with such a megre amount as pension. This is equal to “No Pension”, Under the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) an employee who completed minimum ten yearsservice is eligible for 50% of last pay drawn as minimum pension.

Regarding increase in Minimum Pay and Fitment formula, the assurance was given to the NJCA leaders by none other than the Hon’bleHome Minister and Finance Minister on 30.06.2016. Two years are over but nothing happened. Government has replied in Parliament that, at present, there is no proposal for increasing Minimum Pay and Fitment formula. Thus the entire Central Govt. Employees are betrayed. Regarding Pensioners, the one and the only favourable recommendation of the 7th CPC i.e. Option-I, stands rejected by Government.

Three lakhs GraminDakSevaks of the Postal department conducted a heroic strike for sixteen days and finally Govt. was compelled to accept their demands.But while issuing orders, eventhough new pay scale recommended by the Kamalesh Chandra Committee is implemented, regarding arrears the Committee’s recommendation was rejected and modified by Govt. Some important recommendations like Children Education Allowance, Time bound three financial upgradations etc. are still pending. Regarding revision of wages of Casual Labourers, orders issued by Postal Directorate is yet to be implemented in some Circles and Divisions and their demand for regularisation is not considered favourably by Govt.

The situation in the country is deteriorating day by day. National economy including value of Indian currency, suffered serious setback due to pro-corporate, anti-labour and anti-people neo-liberal policies pursued by the Central Government, grievously impacting the livelihood of the working people and farmers.

The situation due to steep rise in petrol and diesel prices with cascading effect on increase in prices of all daily life utility items, especially food items, is resulting in torturous impact on common masses. The unemployment situation is getting aggravated with employment generation practically turned negative even in most labour-oriented sectors. The agricultural sector and farmers are in deep distress. The after-effects of demonitisation and faulty GST Continue to adversely impacting the deep crisis set in the fast-paced neo-liberal economic policies of the Government. Lack of job opportunities on the one hand and continued job losses, retrenchments, illegal closures on the other hand are imposing miserable condition on the ordinary families for their food, education of children and medical care of the sick and elderly, Aggressive move to sell the shares of the Public Sector undertakings and onslaught of privatization through various routes like outsourcing, PPP etc. is going on in full swing. The demand for universal social security with guaranteed pension has fallen on deaf ears.

Central Govt. not only refused to respond to the just and genuine demands of the organized agitation of working class, but has been continuing its aggression against the hard-won labourrights of the workers, employees and Trade Unions. It is in this background the entire working class of our country has decided to fight back the onslaught of the Govt. against the working class and peasants.

National Federation of Postal Employees (NFPE) has been in the forefront of the struggle against the neo-liberal policies of the Govt. especially against the negative attitude of the Govt. towards the Central Govt. Employees demands including Postal employees.

On January 8th& 9th, about 18 to 20 crores organized and unorganized workers will go on two days strike. NFPE HQ calls upon the entirety of Postal and RMS employees including Gramin Dak Sevaks and Casual, Part-time, Contingent employees to join the strike en-mass. It is a struggle for our survival.

CSD price list 2019 SERVICE TO SERVICES The Canteen Stores Department, CSD as it is commonly referred to, was created to provide ‘easy access to quality products of daily use, at prices less than market rates’ to the soldiers, ex-servicemen and their families. The Department has 34 depots strategically located across India. This is the […]